The Ultimate Men's Gift Guide with Gstaad Guy, Stylist Thomas Christos Kikis, and Master Trainer Joe Holder

0:01Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Liv Perez. Happy December 1st. The holidays are here. We are officially in full swing and I have a gift for you. Today I am joined by three of my favorite guys to help me build the ultimate Let's Get Dressed men's gift guide and answer one of the hardest questions I find around the holidays, which is what do I get the men in my life? We are joined by the shtod guy, stylist Thomas Priestos Kikis, and Nike master trainer, Joe Holder, to talk through gifts that men actually love, the things they won't buy for themselves and the pics that are for every guy, whether it's your partner, your dad, or even your best friend.

0:45From fashion gifts to wellness gifts, I promise there is something for everyone on your list this season. We're starting first with celebrity stylist, Thomas Christos Kikis. He is stylist to Sophia Ritchie, Nara Smith, and so many more. And some of you might remember him from last year. He was on the podcast after he styled my wedding. He gives so many great tips from amazing hostess gifts to amazing holiday party outfits and so much more. So let's go chat with Thomas. Hi, Thomas. Hi, Liv. How are you? I'm well. How are you? I'm so good. I always love having repeat offenders on the pod and especially when it's you.

1:22I love being like, it's the only pod I'm like, of course I'll do it. Thank you for asking and I'm ready to go always. Oh, I'm so glad. We'll have you on again in the new year. We really should. We always love your episodes. So we are doing, as you know, a gift guide episode for men. And one of the biggest reasons that I wanted to have you on is because I think that you are one of the best gift givers in my life. Your wedding gift reigns supreme in my Rolodex of gifts I've ever been given. Fun story, wedding ended. And for all of you listening who have been longtime listeners of the pod, you probably know that Thomas styled my wedding.

1:59You're interested in hearing that episode. It's back in July of 2024, somewhere in the archives, but you had already given me so much quite literally, like helped me with all the planning and the outfits and the emotional support. I always make a joke that it was our wedding and not me and Alex. Absolutely. But so like the end of that wedding, I was like, oh my God, like, I, I don't know how I'm going to thank Thomas. Like what a thankless job. Like he really put up with me for the last like five months. And I get home from my honeymoon. And like the next day I get a gorgeous box at my door. And it's like, this is a wedding gift from Thomas.

2:37And I open it up. And it is an Elsa Peretti for Tiffany Vos that like you cannot get anymore. The gorgeous ceramic one in this like burnt sienna orange. I, the gasp that came out of my mouth. I was like, this can't be real. This simply can't be real. And it was so thoughtful. It was so me. And we wore Tiffany at the wedding and I just kind of tied it all together. It was so thoughtful. I really don't, you know, that compliment that I'm a really thoughtful gift giver and that you love specifically that gift. I don't take it lightly because it's something I really love doing. And, you know, I had two hats on with your wedding.

3:17I mean, originally I was just going as someone who was working at your wedding. That was a job for me, even though it was a lot of fun. And by the end of it, you and Alex and your entire family had made me feel so comfortable. And I was a part of the family. I wasn't just someone there with a lint roller. And I always go back to... Obviously, when you attend someone's wedding, you have to give them a gift. But if it's someone you're working for, what is the process there? But by the end, And I was not just there as an employee or as a team member. I was there as your friend. And so I had to give you...

3:55I had to find the perfect thing. And I love anything vintage Elsa Peretti. And it kind of went with the tones of your home. So anyway, yeah, I love that, Boz. Gift giving is so... I think my mom and dad just kind of ingrained that in us just to be thoughtful in any way you can. And for me, working in fashion and loving design, how am I going to kind of bring that to people, to my loved ones and all my colleagues that are so, you know, go out of their way for me throughout the year? How can I do something thoughtful? And so every year I kind of find like the gift that I'm going to give to all my colleagues and then of course my family and friends.

4:37What is a good gift if you're someone who has a bunch of clients and you need to send out like 10 without breaking the bank? Yeah. So a couple years ago, I gave all the incredible women in my life that I work with and a lot of my girlfriends my favorite Intimisimi top. It's like kind of a boat neck. A boat neck. I gave it to everyone in black because that's the great first one to have if it's your first. Especially if you work in PR or fashion, you have to wear a lot of black. And throughout the year, I was getting texts from people saying, Oh my God, I'm wearing it today. I'm at the Dior show.

5:14I'm working this show and I needed a really great black top that isn't just really boring. It's basic, but it shows a little bit of skin. I mean, we all know this top, I think, by now. And for the men in my life, I still am obsessed with these all-gray Adidas. I mean, they are gray through and through. I think I made Alex buy a pair. He has them. Wears them all the time. I work with Dan Constable a lot, who's an agent to a lot of my clients. And what do you buy for people that you're close with, but you're not super day to day? They're constantly telling you, oh, I need to do this or that. And so that sneaker is kind of an evergreen that worked for every guy.

5:53So yeah. Okay. That's cute. I love that. And last year you got us all the embroidered hoodies. That was cute. We love this. Last year was everyone got a navy hoodie with their name embroidered on it in an area that I kind of think is kind of cool because it, I don't know, it photographs in a selfie. It just, it really pops. And it was pretty cheap because those hoodies are, I think,$19 from Amazon. I buy them in bulk. I take out the tag and the string and the drawstring. And then I took them to my go-to embroidery guy. And that was probably, what,$10,$15. So you're giving a monogram special gift.

6:30And again, during the holidays, you're going camping and everyone was wearing their hoodies. So it was super cute. Saying you ordered them from Amazon, took out the tag and the string. This is a Thomasism. I know. I know. I have a problem. I have to make everything a little bit custom. A little bit. Just a smidge. Just a rip. You know what I mean? What are you doing for the holidays? Where are you going to be? I'm going to be with my family in Florida. That's where I'm from. And I'm heading there in a couple of days for Thanksgiving. And so I have two nieces and a nephew and they're really into helping my mom, their grandmother, and my sister cook.

7:07and so they're each getting their little aprons with their names on them and so that's just going to be i'm just so excited for that and again monogramming just makes everything so it's it can be really quick if you have a really great you know place that'll do it in a day or two and it's what ten dollars to monogram something depending on like how complicated it is but initials and a name are so cheap and the aprons are i got them online somewhere for like i don't of 15, 20 bucks each. And they're going to be so excited and they're going to be in photos. I just think monogramming anything is the easiest, quickest way to tell someone, I thought of you.

7:44And it's not that expensive. Low effort, high impact for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Do you guys have any cute holiday traditions? I feel like you and your family do. My mom and I, every year growing up, we would make ornaments together because I was this like eight, nine, 10 year old that was like not that great at sports, not that great at this and that. And she finally figured out things that would kind of get me excited and I could really excel at. So, you know, the glue gun and the Martha Stewart magazine. And I have one ornament, Liv. It is so incredible. I have to find it when I go home. It's like a circle in the shape of a wreath and we glue gun like beads on it or, you know, beading.

8:24And in the middle is a photo of me. And it's me at the Acropolis wearing Levi's, Doc Martens, and like a Fruit of the Loom t-shirt tucked in with like a Gap belt. I was probably eight or nine. And it was so 90s, like Johnny Deppie, Kate Moss. A Greek icon in the making. A Greek icon in the making. And it was just hanging on the tree every year. I'm like, yeah, that's me. Like at the Acropolis being like a 90s minimalist. Yeah, I'm going to find those ornaments. We need to see it. We need to see it. Ornaments are so sweet. My mom actually saved all of these ornaments from when I was a baby, or all these kind of things from my childhood when I was young, and turned them into ornaments.

9:07So she turned the, oh gosh, the name is escaping me. What's the thing? The mobile? A mobile? Yeah. Yeah. She turned all the little things on my mobile as a child into ornaments. That's really, really smart. I love that. She turned my pacifier that she quote unquote buried into an ornament. And I think there's like a little angel that I loved when I was a baby and she turned it into an ornament and she gave it to me in a box a few years ago. And in the place I'm in right now, it doesn't really make sense to have like a big Christmas tree. But in the future, I can't wait to put all those on there.

9:39I think they're funny. That's a really smart idea. That's so your mom. It's cute. So you're not only a immaculate gift giver, but obviously you're an immaculate dresser. And I'm curious for you when it's really just recently gotten quite cold in L.A. this time of year, like what's getting the most cost per wear in your closet? What are you wearing all the time reaching for first when it's a little bit chilly out? For me, it's like, it's where the shoes kind of start to change because you can still get away with wearing like a t-shirt and like a light hoodie or a knit because that's kind of what I wear throughout the year anyway.

10:14But for me, it's the shoes adding a sock with my loafers. And it's funny to talk about gifts because my really good friend, Casey Kenyon, his gift to me last summer in Greece because they came to a house I rent in Greece and I kind of hosted them and he gave me like an assortment of Charvet socks. Like, are you kidding me? That is a great gift. It was so smart because they don't take up a lot of room when you're traveling. And then you arrive and you hand someone like the lovely, really thin Charvet box with a bunch of socks in them. And now I wear those with my loafers as it's getting a little bit colder out and i've added my i have this row i think it's called like the roger or roper boot or something it's like a road chelsea boot so again take you know i'm kind of switching my summery shoes with like a chelsea boot and that boot is getting wear yeah it's like a dark dark dark brown so it goes with black and brown but and also for me it's taking inventory of my sweaters I probably change them out every couple of years.

11:17I'm not a big believer in spending a lot on a cashmere or a wool sweater because they're going to pill. And I don't want to freak out that a$2 ,000 cashmere sweater is pilling or starting to look old when I've only had it a couple months. So I normally do a cost route for my sweaters or sometimes Uniqlo, that kind of price point. But I change them out every couple of years. So they're always like super fresh feeling. And of course, our bodies change every couple of years. So it kind of makes sense for me to just do like a cashmere refresh. And this year is the time because I tried on a few and they were a little too cropped.

11:58I went through like a really cropped era of like knits and of just my tops in general. So now I'm getting all new sweaters. I'm so glad you said cost. They just sent me this navy sweater that feels like the row. And I think it was like four, maybe under$400. Their knits are so good. At the end of the day, every sweater pills. Yeah. Like I've been in my mom's closet. She's got maybe the only sweaters of mine that haven't pilled are my Laura Piano ones, but like I'm not investing in those that often. And I've just seen every other sweater pill. So it's like, I'm going to cost. Exactly. I'm going to cost.

12:35And of course I have like Lisa Yang sweaters, which are incredible. And they definitely last longer, of course. But you buy a couple of those, but I wear so many crewneck sweaters. It's kind of my go-to black, gray, navy cream. I can't keep replenishing that every year with like a$2 ,000 sweater. So yeah, that's kind of what I'm going through right now. Like in terms of my row boots are really getting a lot of wear and then my knits are back in action. Shop RLT. I just tried their V-neck cropped and that was a good sweater. Yeah, I got that one. I went there for jeans. I came out with sweaters and jeans.

13:13So if you go there for one thing, you're coming out with a thousand things. Yeah, it's the best. It's really bad. For men listening who are going to events this season, maybe they have like a holiday office party or white elephant, whatever it is. Like what is like a foolproof under five minute outfit that they can wear that they're going to feel good in no matter what? I would say a knit, you know, It can be cashmere wool polo sweater, not a crew neck or anything. So you can see some skin, which I think is a little bit more festive and a little bit hotter. But the type that comes in at the waist, so it feels a little bit more evening, a little bit more going out.

13:51With a trouser or a jean, ideally a trouser, a boot, a loafer. I think what makes a difference though, which makes something a bit more festive, I'm really into watches and an eyeglass. like a really great optical glass, not a sunglass, obviously. Just a really cool pair of glasses and a really great watch. A necklace if you're into that, if you're something sentimental. A bracelet. Really playing up the jewelry and the eyewear, I think, can make something or make you look like, oh, wow, you're really dressed up tonight. You look extra something. So that's my go-to. What are your thoughts on belts?

14:29I like a belt. I'm into a belt. but if you're not comfortable with them, sometimes I feel like they add bulk to my waist area because I can be a little bit like if I'm not talking or if it's falling over, but I love belts. I got a lot of belts from Andersons, from Brunello obviously has the best belts. I wear this one Celine belt over and over. It has a kind of tonal logo on it, but you can't really see it, I promise. So I wear my Celine belt a lot. I promise, he says. No, I promise it's not that bad. I have a Prada belt with the triangle at the tip. And I wear that mostly with hoodies and casual stuff because it makes everything a bit more elevated, more thoughtful.

15:14Where are you shopping as of late? There are a lot of women who listen to this pod who are like, where are we shopping for our husbands? What are you telling them? I wish my answer was different every time so there could be a bit more variety, but I'm so tried and true. Like we discussed, my vintage jeans are coming from RLT or Denim Doctor. I love them so much. And the way that Denim Doctor hems them, they do a hem that's not original, but it's like a whole new hem. And then they distress the hem. So it looks like it's been there. Tom Brown for suits. You know this about me. I'm always going to wear a Tom Brown suit.

15:53And then sometimes I'll wear a Prada suit because it's a little bit less obviously identifiable. Costs for knits, Tom Sweeney. I mean, Al and I shopped so much at Tom Sweeney for the wedding. And I'm there about every other week with my male clients getting suits, getting sweaters, getting jeans. A new one that I've added into the mix is a company called Asket. A-S-K-E-T. It's kind of the first solution-based clothing line that for men, it's also for women, but for men that is replacing our fathers big and tall. Because Asket offers every single thing in short, regular, or long. But it's really well done.

16:39It's not like you're going to get an extra long suit and it's kind of dumpy or it fits really sloppy. The Macintosh coats, sweaters, their polos are offered in short, medium, or regular and long. And the price is incredible. Polos for$150, jeans for under$200, sweaters. So Ascat has been a huge resource for me. But I really love if you want to stay in a pretty reasonable price range. J.Crew always has great tuxes. And if you want to spend a little bit more, Tom Sweeney is great for tux. It seems because they do so much bespoke and made to measure that it's going to be expensive, but they're ready to wear stuff or off the rack stuff is very affordable.

17:22I feel like you are someone who never shows up anywhere empty handed. Like you always just have a little something. A little something. A little something. What are some of your favorite things to bring for a hostess or a host? I mean, it depends with how well you know the person or how much time you've had to prepare for. If it's a last minute party or whatever, obviously, of course, we all know like bring wine, bring this and that. But for a hostess gift where you really want to make an impression, I love the Santa Maria Novella hand soap. It's the best. It smells so good. They have a few different scents, but the classic one is my favorite.

18:03and sometimes I throw in their burning paper. So every time I've given it to someone, it immediately goes into their powder room, like at the party. They're like, oh my God, thank you so much. And it really elevates your bathroom. If you want to be even more thoughtful, one year I was staying at my friend's summer home for a couple weeks. And so I really had to think of something a bit outside the box. The last time I was there, all of her phone chargers in her house were the old school ones that took so long to charge. And it's all of us in the house, just constantly on our devices for better or worse.

18:39So I upgraded every charger to the high powered ones. And she was like, are you kidding me? Who does this? But we all benefited from it. And then I leave and I kind of upgraded her home and thanked her in the best way for being so generous for two weeks and having me. But what else do I love? I mean, anything Tiffany, Lauren Santo Domingo has really brought their home section to another level. That gift guide took my breath away. It's incredible. She dropped that gift guide and I was like, oh my God. The alligator jewelry box, that's$70 ,000. As you should if you really love your friends and family.

19:21Guys, I'll give you my address. It's so crazy. Their champagne buckets are amazing. All their silver stuff is so incredible. Also, Flamingo Estate, they do a really great three-pack. And so it's the hand soap, the spray, the dish soap. That's a good one. I have three of them, like three packs of them in my house for a last-minute housewarming. Or I know I sound so over-prepared sometimes. Nope. That is my mom growing up had like a little cabinet in our house where she would always have last-minute, you know, not super expensive gifts that just in case she got invited somewhere last-minute, she could bring.

19:58Yeah. A few candles. I love an over-prepare. Yes. Have you tried the new Luayve candle, the Palo Santo one? Not that... No, I haven't smelled that fragrance just yet, but I hear it's incredible. Why? It's so good. There's something about it that they did a little bit differently. I burned through that candle in like four days. Now I have it as like a little mug. It's really good. I'm a fan. No, I love that. I feel like that's a good one. I wonder if the boys, if Jack and Lazaro are going to do anything with that candle because it's so, I mean, it's must be like half of Loewe's yearly sales, right?

20:32We all have those candles and they're so, they've really lasted like the waves of trends, right? Of like candle and home trends. I wonder if they're going to add something to it, a different scent or just a different color. I would love to see their spin on it. Okay. So let's get into gift giving for men for the holidays. For me, I am always on the hunt for like a good alternative to the backpack. I'm like, let's get this Amazon backpack away and let's get you something a little bit chiquer. But so I want to hear some of your favorite gifts for men, but also like when it comes to bags specifically, like what is one that's good for a guy who loves a backpack, wouldn't necessarily wear a briefcase and just want something like right in the middle.

21:16When I tell you bags are a minefield for men, I don't care gay, straight, creative lawyer. They can really be a point of like a, like a sticking point for men. I personally am like a product backpack, like Stan always. I have a black one and I have a brown one. A nylon or a leather. They're both nylon, like the classic backpack. It's hard if you're an attorney or maybe you work somewhere a little bit more corporate or more, you know, a little bit smarter, maybe don't show up in a backpack unless you're in like a big city. I love like a guy with a suit and a backpack. It's very JFK Jr. But yeah, I love a Prada backpack.

22:00And I would say if you want some like a proper leather bag, Metier makes the best bags for men. And what I love about them is that they're obviously not branded, branded. I love a Saint Laurent bag as well. But some guys don't want to be that flashy. Even with Prada, they don't want to have the triangle, the logo if they're going into work. And maybe they don't want to seem so flashy around their colleagues and co-workers. Metiers are so nondescript and they're so chic. I love them so much. And when I tell you every client, male or female, that borrows one for a press tour, they never want to give it back.

22:38Okay. We have to disclaim though that the Metier ones are like four grand. They are expensive. I know. I'm really sorry, which my plan B might not be that great either to go to the row. It's better than the five grand for eight. Yeah. Yeah. However, I promise you it is such an investment that your spouse or boyfriend or male in your life will really love. And they won't know about it, chances are, because it's a little bit more under the radar, but it'll make quite the impact. I think at the end of the day, find something that's leather and unbranded. If you don't want to splurge on the Metier, to me, it just has to be something that feels...

23:22Of course. And I really think the Metier is a great launch pad for finding something similar. Yes. Not starting out like, oh, I want a Bottega. A Bottega is incredible. I wear them all the time, but they are, it's the woven, it's the knowing what they are. Start with Mentier and see where you land. It might even be a really incredible small designer that makes something similar, but it really gets your mind going. Oh, okay. He can wear something that's not designer. And maybe you work to the Mentier, maybe you'll find one on sale. They're just so incredible. Ralph has some really good briefcases and weekender bags this season too.

24:00I put a weekender on my gift guide and I was like, that's cute. I love a Ralph weekender. I think it's so cool. And it's so kind of classic Americana. What other gifts do you think make for great gift for men? I think, you know, I always struggle with what outerwear to wear with a suit because things get really bulky. Most of my outerwear pieces are a bit shorter or they're puffy. and then you can't wear a puffer with a suit. So if he doesn't have a trench, get him a trench. It's a solution to a problem that he's bound to have in a couple months, a Burberry trench or any kind of coat that works with formal wear or a suit is something that every guy should have.

24:43Moving on to more like the boyish stuff, my trainer, who's one of my best friends, he wants a griddle for the backyard. And I was like, wait, Andrew, what? He's like, dude, we're cooking outside. We live in LA. And so he really wants something, a griddle for his backyard, which is so... I love that. I love actually thinking about their day-to-day habits and not just getting something that you want for them. Like, what does your man want? Or all new gym clothes. Because they're constantly kind of reaching for a t-shirt and maybe like a pair of shorts, but they're in the wash because you don't have that many of them.

25:22I got my brother-in-law last year five new aloe shorts, five new aloe tees, and we were done. And he was so happy. He threw out all of his ratty shorts with the stretched out elastic or whatever. Solomon's are here to stay. And I recently got a pair for the guy in my life. And he told me that he was walking with better posture because of how comfortable and how well adjusted he felt in them. So I mean, I love a Solomon. I love that. I feel like shoes are always a big question that come to mind. People always ask me, what shoes do I get for this guy in my life? And I'm tired of saying Adidas Sambas.

26:01So long live the Solomon. Get them a Solomon. And they come in so many different colors and colorways. So some are a bit more punchy. Some are a bit more neutral. But I will say another one that really I would have never thought of was I was with my best friend's husband and he was trying to fix something in the house and he kind of shouted out to all of us because he was in the other room. He just wants a toolbox, like fully stocked with like all the right things. Okay, if you guys are OG Instagram fashion people, there's a fashion influencer who's been around forever. Her name is Lainey Hedaya.

26:36She's Lainey Hedaya Hofstein now. She married a friend of mine. And she started a company at the beginning of this year called Shop Tinker, T-I-N-K-R. And it's chic toolboxes. It's that. It's exactly what he was saying. It's a chic toolbox. They're available right now. The modern toolbox workstation, very chic. It's in this very pretty blue. It is currently on sale and it's$55. Look at that. That's a great kind of, yes, you buy him that big thing, but the$55 toolbox, maybe stocking stuffer or for your brother-in-law, for your dad. But when he said that, I was like, oh my God. And I looked at his wife.

27:12I'm like, toolbox. Don't forget that. She's like, what? I'm like, for Christmas. And she was like, oh my God, why are you always thinking about gifts? And it's like, because he said it out loud in a moment of panic and frustration, but he's probably not going to then buy it because he was too consumed with the kids and all of that. But I clocked it. And now that's what we're going to do. Let this be a moment where we all go into our notes app on our phone and type in gifts. and anytime you hear someone in your life say, I needed this, I needed this, that you put it in there. And then when Christmas rolls around, you're not lost in the world.

27:49Thank you for coming on. We always love having you. It's the best. Absolutely. Bye. Okay, and now we are going overseas where I got to chat with the Stade guy who is currently in Paris. He, of course, knows all the chicest, most luxurious gifts, but there were also so many in there that were quite unexpected. He also gives so many great elevated everyday wardrobe tips. So take notes. Hey. Hi. Where are you in the world right now? I feel like you're always somewhere. I am always somewhere. I'm currently in Paris. I don't know where you live and that's fine. I feel like the world shouldn't know where you live.

28:26I live in London, but I do travel a lot. But you don't really? No, I'm traveling a lot more than I am in one place. You are someone whose style every time I see you, I'm like, yeah, he's obviously the best dressed in the room. He's always got a good outfit on. And I think I've seen you wear things that are dressed down and dressed up and you still look really put together, which I think for guys is hard. Thank you so much. So I'd love to hear from you, especially as it's gotten cold. You live in London. You're someone who has a lot of outerwear. What are some things that are getting a lot of cost per wear in your closet when it gets cold outside?

28:59Like, what are you leaning towards? What are you picking up in your closet the most? First of all, I really appreciate your compliments. It was very kind of you. I appreciate it. I feel the same way about you. Always incredibly well-dressed, the best dressed in most rooms. Thank you. I'll start with color. There's two colors I really lean into a lot in winter, and that's brown and navy blue. Not together, separately. I love navy blue all times of the year. It's my favorite color to wear, to be honest. I spoke about it on a podcast with Giulio Bergamaschi, who's the CEO of Aqua di Parma, and he used to be an exec at Laurel Piano.

29:34and he was always wearing navy blue and i'm a big fan of navies so i wear a lot of navy in winter a lot of layers of navy blue and even if the shades are slightly off i think it actually has this beautiful depth it doesn't have to be this matching tone of navy blue just i like like a denim with some navy blue socks navy blue shoes i think the socks are an important detail because if someone has some like bright white socks, it can just throw off the whole outfit. A hundred percent. I think you can go gray with navy blue, but you can't have these bright white Nike dry fit socks ruining an otherwise elegant look.

30:14That is such a good tidbit. And I think people overlook that all the time. I have seen an abundance of Nike socks on a daily basis that shouldn't be there. I agree. Where I see a lot of outfits going wrong in winter, if I may, I think people get the big picture rights of they match a beautiful coat or a jacket of some kind or even a sweater. And then they'll wear like a t-shirt under it that didn't take the time to iron. Or some bright white socks with dark trousers that stick out when they sit down. And naturally, like our eyes are drawn to contrast. So people will miss the beautiful tonal look they're wearing and just lock on this wrinkly white t-shirt or on this sock they didn't think about.

31:03And I really think that just going that very slight extra step gives justice to the rest of the look. So I'm mostly wearing Laura Piana. I love the brand and I love the materials. But the nice thing about Laura Piana is that it's made for the person wearing it really at the end of the day. So it's incredibly soft and cozy and beautiful, but it doesn't stand out from a distance as, oh, that's necessarily a lower piano or part of a brand, which means there are ways to get very close to that look with a very different budget. And I think a brand that does that really well is actually Uniqlo. I'm a big fan of Uniqlo, especially for people who want to buy into a simple, clean, tonal look, but may not have the means to do so.

31:56At a Laura Piana level, I think Uniqlo, you can get beautiful basics that last a long time, that are very well made, and that can tell that same story. but I will underline and bold say iron your t-shirts if I want to get very specific on the lower piano side my favorite collection is one called wish wool which is not gift of kings which is their best the best wool and not regular wool somewhere in between and it's very fine in microns it's very soft but also not as rare and premium as gift of kings which means it's at a different price point and Uniqlo t-shirts that I think are great basics for everyone to have they call them like airism airism the airism cotton ones though not the airism because the regular airism is a bit stretchy which gives us a synthetic vibe the cotton ones are exceptional so I think that and yeah I just wear either full blue outfit really full navy or like full browns but that's pretty much most of my winter.

33:05Have you tried the Uniqlo heat tech tees? Oh yeah. I wear those under my ski clothes. So do I. They're amazing. I think people really overlook those for if you're living in a place that gets really cold. Those saved my life when I was living in New York and came from California and would like try to wear heels in the snow. No, they're really, really great. I love the heat tech. Another brand actually that I really like, but it's more for the in-between season than it is for the main seasons of like summer and winter. So it's more like spring and fall. It's Valence by Arcteryx. So Arcteryx is this classic, like iconic outdoors brand.

33:44And there's like a big subculture online of like Gorp, people who wear all this like ultra technical, like Solomon plus Arcteryx plus North Face. And within Arcteryx, they have this more conceptual, elevated brand called Valence, which is basically taking the outdoor tech to like an urban silhouette. So they have beautiful blazers and full suits and jackets that have some similarities to lower piano shapes and colors, but just a bit more urban and even borderline like Japanese in cut. And I really like Valence Barakterics as well. I think that's a great one to look at. And there's also a collection by Laura Piana called Into the Wild, which is really cool.

34:32I like technical stuff because I love hiking and doing things that aren't necessarily planned. And the cool thing about technical clothes is like you're kind of ready for anything. What are some things that are, this is a very you question. Tell me what's, tell me what's a la poubelle and what's fantastique for the holidays. Okay, I'll start off. This is in the tone of voice of my character more so than myself. but I'll start off by saying something that you can enjoy together doesn't count as a gift because you're also getting the benefits, right? A gift should be something that's exclusively for the person you're giving it to, right?

35:09So you don't believe in like, so like a massage is a gift, but like a dinner is not like, I'm taking you to dinner at this fancy place. Big no. I think it's just, it's an occasion. It's a beautiful thing to do. It's a beautiful gesture. sure it's a great moment to share but I don't think that that is the gift I think the gift is for the person to experience on their own and for them to take a moment to celebrate themselves and feel good with themselves and not share that energy with someone else because they're probably doing that the whole year anyway right so I think a gift is for the other person and that should be very intentional should also be something the other person likes not something you think they should like so boyfriend to girlfriend girlfriend to boyfriend let's say you're trying to change the way your partner looks or dresses have a conversation about it don't impose it through the gift and just give them something give them something they would like to make them happy especially during the season I think so I think delivering an intention is important and make it thoughtful my my favorite gift the past few years, I need to acknowledge privilege first and say, I'm blessed to be in a position where if there's something I really want, I can get it for myself at the moment.

36:27And I'm not in a position where like, I'm waiting for someone to get that thing for me, which means I'm more appreciative of more sentimental things. So I think that's, that's a privilege to acknowledge, but the most sentimental gift that I think goes a really long way is actually a framed picture of me and that person. And I think it's, it's such an ignored gift, but I find it so special. And my close friends and family have been made aware of that recently. And they just bring these beautiful framed pictures of us from either a recent moment or an old moment. It could just be an iPhone picture.

37:00It doesn't have to be anything crazy, but just having that physical framed photo in the house is such a special reminder of the relationship I have with that person. And I think it's a really special gift and it's not very expensive and not very difficult to do. It just takes thinking about it with a nice card. I smiled really big when you said that because I do that for a lot of people in my life who fall into the category of like, what do you get someone who has everything? Yeah, that is always my move. I will get, you know, a framed photo. Maybe if it's a childhood friend, I'll get them like, you know, something cute from when we were young or something recent.

37:35And it goes a really long way. I think the emotional response of it and then also going over to their house and seeing it there. There's so much more value in that than like some random thing you're going to get them because you didn't know what to get them. I completely agree. And also, I think it really depends on the person you're gifting to. I think thinking about what they're like as people. And I think two easy archetypes to separate the way you gift someone is, are they generally curious about the unknown? Or are they generally nostalgic about the things they do know? An example of that is, My older sister is very nostalgic.

38:13So the key to her heart is things that remind her of her childhood. Could be a Monopoly board themed like something she loved as a kid or something Disney related. She loves nostalgia. Whereas my other sister loves randomness and loves funny gag gifts of things she would have never expected. like my sister got her for Christmas these slippers that look like humongous feet so when she's wearing them it looks like her feet are huge which is like but if she if I got that from my other sister she would have hated it you see what I'm saying right yeah like deliver on an on intention and just think about like those two archetypes really make gift ideas easier to have for like funny gifts with loved ones as well.

39:04What's your take on hostess gifts? Like, I feel like you go to a lot of fancy things. You bring something with you. I think at someone's home, I try to. Depends how close I am to the person. Like if this is my blood and like my best friend. Yeah. We're past that point. Even to that stage where like, you like escalate a friendship where you give each other more and more until you give each other nothing. And that's like the final stage of friendship. My mom like drilled into my brain growing up. Like you never show up somewhere empty handed. You should not. Especially during a nice moment at someone's home.

39:40I think if you're going out somewhere, it's kind of an imposed inconvenience to bring a gift to some restaurant. But I agree. Going to someone's home, you should bring some sort of gift. Even if it's a bottle of wine, you can enjoy together that evening. If it's a gift you don't want to spend a lot on, adding a handwritten note with it makes it seem 10 times nicer. So it can be, you know, maybe a more affordable bottle of wine, but that note will go all the way. I'm a big stationary gal. I love stationary. For men as well, I think Mont Blanc is also a great gift. They do great notebooks and pens.

40:15Do you think the art of the pen is kind of being lost? I remember being younger. I feel like a pen was a great gift for a man. And now I see it less and less. Like I've seen it less and less on gift guides, but I don't see it as much as I used to. It's funny you say that because I've been actually seeing it a lot recently. On your Instagram? In marketing? Tell me more. Well, I have a friend who gifted me a beautiful pen. Okay. From where? Mont Blanc. Okay. And then I have another friend who also gifted me another pen. So I had these two pens that started my new pen collection. And then I started being more curious about pens and seeing them pop up.

40:52And I recently had the pleasure of visiting Qatar. And in Qatar, people usually wear their traditional dress, which is very like this plain white elegant tobe. And they don't have many parts of the outfit that they can express something different to like the classic traditional look. But they have cufflinks, which they wear, and they have shoes, which are sometimes visible. But they also have a pen that they clip in the collar. And a lot of those pens are Cartier pens. I was looking around and I was like, well, all these people are wearing pens. And I started to ask around some friends of mine who work in the luxury world.

41:32Like, are pens a big thing? And they said, for sure, in the Middle East. But actually, globally, pens are on the up. People are collecting them again and buying them again. I've never thought about them as a styling moment. That's very cool. Yeah, it's cool. It's like here. Yeah, pinned in. Yeah. Cufflinks are also a good gift. I usually get that. I started selling cufflinks recently. on Pubelle. You did? Yeah. We launched cufflinks a couple of months ago and they sold out immediately. Yeah. Which I found insane because I find most men I see wearing dress shirts have the button dress shirts, not even the cuffling hole ones.

42:09Right. But I guess there's a market for them because they sold out in a few days. So I was very happy. I think it's the same thought process as the pens. Like I think men want more opportunities to feel some sort of expression in a suit. I go on the real, real often and find like vintage Tiffany ones. And like those make great gifts. They're just like that little, it's something, it's something small, but meaningful. Yeah, I think so too. It's a nice gift. Okay. So I know you mentioned earlier that you can get yourself most things, but if there was one thing you could get as a gift this season, what would it be?

42:43I love the framed pictures. I'm sorry. I'm going to go back to that. Gifted is pictures from beautiful moments I've shared with people I love framed. How about you? Ooh, I have a similar sentiment that you have towards photos about tableware. All the tableware I have in my house connects back to some memory in my life. The plates we use every day are from the same place that we got engaged. My mom passed down a lot of beautiful cups to me that were part of my childhood home. And I don't really care if it's from a specific brand. I just like something that kind of connects back. that I get to use every day.

43:24I'm kind of a sucker for like a print and like in a perfect world in my house that I'm working on, there's like a room of all my plates. So nice. Yeah, I just kind of love it. I love that they're something that gets used every day. It's great table conversation and it's something that you can pass down, which I really love. I love that. Thank you so much. This was really fun. I loved hearing your insight and I love how thoughtful you are. Thank you. It's very kind of you. Your thoughtful questions brought it out of me. So it's all thanks to you. And lastly, we are back in LA and in my kitchen, actually, with one of my dearest and oldest friends, Nike Master Trainer, Joe Holder, who's bringing us all the great wellness and practical gifts for every guy in our life.

44:08Plus, he gives us some of his wardrobe staples. He's a guy who's always out on the town. So I love to hear what he wears to look dressed up for a night out in New York City. Hi, Joe Holder. We in the building. We're in the building. We're actually in my kitchen, which is cool. It's a beautiful kitchen. Thank you. I've never recorded here before. We usually hit the couch. We haven't done this in years. And let me tell you something, the amount of DMs I get from humans, bring Joe Holder back on the pod. It's like, guys, chill. You don't love me no more. You know what? You're going to be one of the first guests on my pod.

44:36No, I have to be. It would actually be insane if I wasn't. Like if you did not put me on your pod after the like, you know, 20 part pod. Design yourself coming soon. Yeah, design yourself coming soon. What are you doing for the holidays? Well, for Thanksgiving, I'm going to my brother's in Connecticut. He recently had a child. I think his wife is pregnant again. He complains we don't come up enough. So we're doing all Connecticut energy. You've got a lot of nieces. You have a few now. Yeah, four. One, two, five. But yeah, doing that. Not sure I'll do it for Christmas yet. But yeah, I'm excited for Thanksgiving, you know.

45:11And then December, finish the year strong. Cozy season. I love it. You know, I love a good sweater. Are you traveling for Christmas, New Year's? What's your vibe? You usually go like no contact. Yeah, I might go to Palm Heights. But no, I feel better. I wanted to be where I actually am. You know I'm on the road so much. But this time I'm just, I think I've grown over the past few years regarding my mental state in a better way. So I'm not running for myself anymore at this moment. Amen. I don't have as much burnout as I once did. I feel like your dad has got some nice holiday traditions. Anything you guys do?

45:44Well, we used to spend it on my grandparents before they passed. But now, yeah, we just kind of all gather. I mean, you know, make my grandpa used to make this famous molasses cake that I still dream about. I need to learn the recipe. It's so delicious. And then with like either whipped cream or applesauce, I don't really. You need to figure that out. Yeah. It's like so good. We all kind of came. We just hang out, you know, it's more of a Christmas day thing rather than Christmas Eve. Now that we're all older. I make some really good spiced apple cider. It's my thing. You do? Yeah. Wow. How are you making that?

46:15In college, I used to get the apple brandy and put it in there. when we used to have what was called the eggnog flow. So shout out Cap Alpha Sa, Delta Aida chapter, you pen. I'm sure there are so many of those people listening to this podcast right now. That's amazing. But basically it's the simmer of the spices. So you need like cardamom, star anise, of course the cinnamon sticks, but you make a very good mulled cider. Like mulled ciders, mulled wines, hot toddies. Like those are my favorite holiday things. Okay, I love that for you. Send us the recipe, Joe. I'm really like bringing out my like home Martha's store side.

46:49It's because I know that it's there and I want everyone listening to know that it's there. He's a soft boy. Homemaker Joe. Okay. Talk to us about what you are wearing a lot of right now. Like what's getting the most cost per wear in your closet when you're going to all the like chic, cool functions that you go to in New York. I saw you were just at GQ men of the year. You were looking super fancy. Tell me what you're wearing the most of when it starts to get cold, especially as a New Yorker who like relies on layers. Also, what are these jeans? they're like a dark wash denim they're very nice right very nice this is actually so i've been in much of because i'm going to office more now and and i've been in much of like a uniform state so it's like three pairs of key denim and denim's a lot warmer than i think people realize like i don't really need to wear an underlayer but you can you know whatever unique load and some other spots make the good base layer but yeah right now it's like the big brand that i'm a fan of is like Alex Mill, like their denim is great.

47:43And that's probably what I've been wearing the most. And then these Subi jeans, these black wash jeans. Those are Subi? These are Alex Mill. I have a Subi one just like these. Cool. So I've been rocking that. I've got this really good, I mean, ACG stuff. Like, you know, when it comes, I always wear the ACG Nike puffers. Been getting a lot of wear on that. These black Nike Stussies, a lot of wear on that. There is actually a Seven for All Mankind cashmere hoodie that you sent me years ago. Wow, deep cut, Joseph. I've been wearing that. He doesn't remember my birthday sometimes, but remembers the Seven for All Mankind hoodie that I sent him years ago.

48:21I'm always there if you need me. I've been wearing that a lot. This bomber jacket I've been rocking. J. Crew just did a nice collab with Wallace and Barnes. I brought that back so there's some workwear stuff I've been rocking. But these Alex Mill pants, I've worn these every day for maybe the past two weeks besides the sweats I've been wearing. That would make a good gift. For me? For anybody. Yeah, their denim's great. Again, there are so many. I get messages all the time about where do I get a good men's gift? Like, what do I get my boyfriend for Christmas? And like, I think jeans are a great gift.

48:53If someone got me a great pair of jeans, I'd be thrilled. Yeah, because I don't think a lot of men know how to actually shop for their jean fit either. I also like a military khaki There's a vintage one I found Or I was given a while ago And now there's some nice ones that are coming out But I just think wide leg is now timeless Everybody thinks things go in cycles But I just think that's kind of here to stay Even when things shift Wide leg will always be respected Skinny is not If you were invited to a dinner party tonight What's the first thing you're putting on? What's your foolproof Under five minutes I know I'm going to look good as a guy Go to this event For me like I think the Issy pants Like pleats are always into me Wow Yeah those are great The Issy Miyake pleats please pants Yeah I've been on Just kidding we're not in the fitness edition anymore guys We're in the true fashion archive edition I got five pairs of those No way I got a blue pair, a brown pair, a lavender pair Two pairs of black ones I think you have Basically I look at it like this And I now know they're going out of basically business but i hope not no essence oh i was like what what i did coming up especially i didn't have much money was you go on these i would go on these more fashion forward sites and i would say okay twice a year i'm gonna find what's on sale and i know they're a little bit more expensive i'm gonna buy them because i know i'm gonna have them for a very long time then over the years that essentially built up so the two brands cost per wear cost per wear which i just learned about today he came in the house and was like what are we talking about and i was like talk to me about some like cost per wear things and he was like cost per what welcome to the tribe welcome so like that and some some good rick pants but yeah i put on the issy i put on or some theory i think there's a really good black theory button up black issy pants my thing is i think black always black or darker color always looks good throw that on it's quick easy dry guys find a cheap dry cleaner in your hood.

50:57Don't go to the expensive dry cleaners. Find a cheap dry cleaner so that then your stuff is always ready. So you don't have to worry about the ironing. You're not stressed out. So I mean, from a young age, my mom always made us, you know, go to the dry cleaners. So that was, so that's big. So that becomes a quick five minute put on and we're good. I love that because a lot of the times I feel like I hear my friends saying, you know, they have a big event coming up and they'll be like, Oh, I need to go ask my husband or boyfriend if their suit is like good to go for this event. And it's like, don't put the suit back in the closet between events.

51:27Take it to the dry cleaner. Keep it in the dry cleaner situation. Put it back so that it's ready for your next thing. Facts. I love the Issey Miyake pant situation because I think that that's just a cool... They're super chill. They're really comfortable. And I think anybody could wear them. You can wear them with a crew neck sweater and still look great. You can also wear them with a button down. I think they're a great pant. It's a shame that Essence is going out of business because that's usually where I get all my essay stuff. So are we just not shopping on Essence right now? I don't know, actually.

52:01Yeah, I don't know. Have you checked it out, Lisa? I actually have to look into it because someone sent me a link recently and I was like, wait, I don't want to shop on Essence. They're not paying their brands right now. So why would I do that? They owe Jacques Moose like a million dollars. It'll be all right. Okay, they own Shushu Tong, a young brand out of London, a million dollars. Yeah, that's not right. No, terrible. Like, what are you going to do at that point? Any cool new brands on your radar that you love right now that you think everybody should know about? That's a tough one, you know?

52:27I think Vintage Heavy actually sent me some really cool stuff. What? What's it called? Vintage Heavy. What's that? It's like this kind of work where Vintage Brand, they did some stuff with like Peanuts, did a really cute Peanuts collection. Oh, that's cool. Charlie Brown, Snoopy boy. I think I'm hitting my stride with the ones that I know are reliable. So, you know, Theory, Todd Snyder, Banana Republic, Alex Mills, Subi, Koss. Yeah, just like the staples that I know. will always be in the wardrobe. I think sneakily Nike is doing some like really good basic higher end basic tees for guys. More of that kind of Japanese cut.

53:05Buck Mason, I think I said that right, but making a little bit of a comeback. I love Buck Mason. I always get a lot of their tees. They have great women's tees, great women's sweaters. I think very underrated as a brand, especially, and for menswear too. Alex gets a lot of his tees from there. Woolrich, he'll sleep on Woolrich. For like jackets, right? Yeah. but yeah those are big ones i think i don't think you got to go too crazy as a man like you could you don't have to succumb to trends as much i agree like keep it simple yeah we don't you guys don't need a lot of that it's just taste but you just need accent pieces here and there whether it don't have to be overly expensive whether those watches whether it's like as we talked about issy a little bit already if you have just those like what are the a good jacket like what are the accent pieces in your wardrobe that you know are going to be timeless and then your significant other or others will kind of see that and be like all right you got the juice okay let's pivot to like wellness stuff a little bit if anyone's listening right now and there's a guy in their life they're getting a gift for that like is obsessed with all things wellness like you are what is like a home run gift home run gift you know wellness is so wide okay i mean i i still love a good massage gun but i think you know hyper ice has come out with some some good oh the venom the back venom two or it might be venom three now but the back massager and heater you just wrap kind of like a waist trainer thing phenomenal that's the best that is you get a good stretch in after it that type of thing if you could find it's if you can if you as a woman can actually find your man a attractive looking pair of blue light blockers or amber lenses or darker lenses, find that because that's really hard to find.

54:46This is so good. It's really hard to find. And, you know, I'm a big fan of circadian, whatever regulation, but find that. Or the other end of it is like a lot of guys don't like going to the doctor and a lot of blood testing services are on sale right now, whether that be Eternal, Function Health, Inside Tracker, Life Force. I mean, Eternal just raised a lot of money at like a$2.5 billion valuation. So they're having a really good sale for like$350 right now. That's really cool. I love that. I think a lot of guys get overwhelmed because we don't like to admit we're not feeling good. We don't like to go to the doctor.

55:26Men, of course, die earlier. But if you can turn it, especially if you have a fitness husband or wellness husband, you end up gamifying it. So you get this dashboard and you're like, oh, shit. I don't really believe in the whole biological age thing, but I get why it's there. But the other side of it is like, you don't, if you can't measure it, you don't know. And a lot of guys don't know until it's too late. So if you have the ability to see what's there, we, I don't think everybody needs a concierge service at first. So they just need that white labeling services that function is able to provide.

55:55It gives you clinician notes. And then if you need more, you can then go find your more bespoke concierge practice. But for a lot of guys, especially if they're just working out and stuff, it's like, I actually know what is happening inside you. Aura Ring, also a good starting point, even though I'm addicted to mine. Are you? There's a rehab for people like me. It has to be an Aura Ring rehab. Yeah. Aura Ring or Whoop or whatever. I don't think Aura, I think Aura is more stylish. It's a little bit less intensive. As I've gotten older, I don't, I just want to have a normal watch on my wrist. So I think Aura is good.

56:24And then you can kind of take it off and let it rest as you need. So yeah, I mean, those are definitely the big ones. I would say break it into three categories. You have the measurement, the measurement tools, then you essentially have like the physical activity wellness tools that you can apply to the body. And then you look at the other thing of like additional hardware that can be worn that will improve the wellbeing of your, of your husband. And then from there, you'd be good. If someone was to gift you anything wellness wise, so right now, like what would you love to get? What would like mean a lot for you?

56:55It's a really good question. I, you know, I always enjoy retreats. So you want to take, You know, take me somewhere, be able to chill, be able to do that. But I do want to test that. I've also just I've seen it everywhere for some reason, but the echo hydrogen water. So I'm very fascinated with trends that disappear when they were for a second when they were large. So one of my favorite things to do, I know it sounds ridiculous. One of my favorite things to do is like, of course, there are things that stick around. But I like to go and look at things five years, 10 years, 15 years ago and look at predictions.

57:24and see what predictions were then or what was big then that then just went away and like why? Hydrogen water was one of those. Remember when hydrogen water was huge? Yes. Everybody saw my hydrogen water. Right. But the issue with the thought process of hydrogen water is that like it could create a better state in the body to help you recover from stuff. But the issue because is the lack of shelf life and some of the lack of research or lack of like the sustainability on shelf life. But there is a brand that's come out with a water bottle that says they can make hydrogen water on demand. That's cool.

57:54It's called Echo, I think. It's expensive, though. It's like$3 to$50. Oh, and you put them in the kitchen and they... Nah, it's like a water bottle. Oh, wow. It's like a blender thing. Very cool. Actually, but the biggest gift that I would like, I would like a 10-pack of massage and acupuncture sessions. That's what I'm big with. Why is there memberships for everything but massages? I've been looking for a massage membership club. The Now in LA has a membership situation. For massages? Yes. But New York's a little behind on that. That's a good idea. And I also love that as a gift. Like, give me like a 10-pack of massages.

58:31Yeah. That's what I like. Okay. Love you. Thanks for doing this. This was fun. We're back just like the old days. I know. Have me on your pod, Joe. I will. You and KG. Okay, great. See you soon. Peace. Happy holidays.

58:53Thank you.